Future looks bright for Holmes with new deal

Revitalised Yorkshire Carnegie have signed flying winger Jonah Holmes to a long-term contract.

The Headingley club, on their knees a little over a month ago with a head coach on his way out and the team floundering, have responded with four straight wins in all competitions.

They have also started their summer planning early by securing 22-year-old Holmes on a three-year deal from next season.

The former Wasps product has been one of the leading try-scoring threats for Carnegie over the last 18 months.

Holmes moved to Carnegie last season on loan from Premiership stalwarts Wasps. He was then part of a swap deal that saw him return to Leeds – with fly-half Glyn Hughes moving in the opposite direction – at the start of this season. The news is a real boost for Carnegie ahead of their fixture with Worcester Warriors at Headingley on Saturday.

Acting head coach Tommy McGee said: “Jonah is a quality player who has a huge amount to offer the game and I am delighted he is going to do that with us.

“He made a massive impression on us last year but to get where we want to go and push for the play-offs we need that type of quality within our squad.

“We have seen over the last couple of weeks that he has the ability to break the line and kick out of the tackle,. He can create something out of nothing and when games are tight that is an invaluable quality.

“He has a lot still to learn about the game; he is still a young man, but he is the type of player we want at the core of our squad moving forward.”

Holmes has scored 22 tries in 34 appearances for the club including four tries in the British & Irish Cup win at Aberavon last month and two against Rotherham Titans two weeks later.

Stockport-born Holmes, who can play on the wing or at full-back, said: “It has been difficult in the last 18 months as obviously I have been only on loan at Yorkshire Carnegie, so you never know what the future might hold.

“So it is a great relief to have agreed a long-term deal and to now know where my future lies.

“We want to kick on this season and push once again for the play-offs but, more than that, the plans the club has for the future are exciting and ambitious and I am looking forward to being part of that.”